· The Global Psoriasis Atlas will be a catalyst for psoriasis research,
policy and healthcare provision worldwide.

Today’s Global Psoriasis Atlas (GPA) launch will create the first-ever,
comprehensive global database on psoriasis. It responds to an urgent
World Health Organization call to fill global knowledge gaps on the
incidence and prevalence of this serious non-communicable disease. The
GPA partnership comprises the International Federation of Psoriasis
Associations (IFPA), the International League of Dermatological
Societies (ILDS) and the International Psoriasis Council (IPC), who
together represent patients, health professionals and scientists.

The GPA will be the leading online epidemiological database on
psoriasis. By detailing the disease prevalence and incidence worldwide,
it will enable extensive global comparisons between countries and across
time. The GPA will evolve to provide data on the burden of psoriasis,
including societal costs, comorbid diseases and patients’ access to
treatment. The project partners are planning long-term: “The GPA project
is about driving constant improvement in our understanding of psoriasis
and encouraging long-term data collection. I believe this to be a
project of paramount importance as we seek to determine the natural
history and burden of psoriasis across the globe.” says Prof.
Christopher Griffiths, President of the IPC. By synthesizing existing
knowledge in one single location, the GPA will have the power to present
researchers and policy makers with important global insights that
standalone research projects are unable to provide.

The GPA project comes in response to the 2016 WHO Global Report on
Psoriasis. The report highlighted how the current lack of psoriasis data
contributes to the suffering caused by the disease. Published studies on
psoriasis prevalence vary markedly in their estimate, citing figures as
low as 0.09% or as high as 11.4%. Current psoriasis data are derived
from a mere 20 countries. This limited sample particularly obscures the
situation in low and middle-income settings. Previous psoriasis studies
also often lacked a standardized case-definition or methodology. As a
result, current knowledge on psoriasis’ global severity and spread
remains limited.

To tackle this knowledge deficit, partnering organizations IFPA, ILDS
and IPC will now create the Global Psoriasis Atlas. For the first time,
this comprehensive database will reveal the full global picture of
psoriasis. In turn, this will improve researchers’ understanding of
psoriasis, facilitate disease control and enable successful healthcare
planning. “By gathering data on psoriasis from as many countries as
possible, we will be able to achieve better decision-making on the use
of resources,” says Prof. Harvey Lui, President of the ILDS. The
ultimate beneficiary of the GPA, however, are the more than 125 million
psoriasis patients and their families worldwide. At the moment, the
severity of their chronic, painful, non-communicable disease often
remains unacknowledged. “Only once we truly understand the burden of
psoriasis, will we be able to command the recognition that people living
with psoriasis deserve,” states Mr. Lars Ettarp, President of IFPA.

IFPA, ILDS and IPC are looking forward with anticipation to Phase 1 of
the GPA project. This phase will comprehensively review the available
psoriasis literature and data to compile a global epidemiological
overview. Phase 2 of the project will work out a rigorous methodology
and set criteria for future psoriasis epidemiological work. Together,
these phases will establish the GPA as the definitive real-time record
of psoriasis epidemiology worldwide.

The International Federation of Psoriasis Associations (IFPA) is a
non-profit organization made up of psoriasis

associations from around the world. As the main global psoriasis patient
organization, IFPA’s goals are to empower its members, improve living
conditions for patients, raise awareness of psoriasis and psoriatic
arthritis and cooperate with fellow stakeholders. Key IFPA actions
include organizing World Psoriasis Day (annually October 29) and a
scientific psoriasis conference every three years. Since its founding in
1971, IFPA has continuously sought to resolve the challenges facing over
125 million patients in the international psoriasis community.

The International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS) is a unique
non-governmental organization which promotes the global advancement of
dermatological care, education and science. Bringing together over 160
member societies from more than 80 countries worldwide, the ILDS is
collectively able to draw on the expertise of more than 100,000
dermatology specialists around the world. Through this network the ILDS
aims to recognize and harmonize the rich spectrum of approaches to skin
health and disease that exist throughout the world.

The International Psoriasis Council (IPC) is a dermatology led,
voluntary, global nonprofit organization dedicated to innovation across
the full spectrum of psoriasis, through research, education and patient
care. The mission of the IPC is to empower its network of global key
opinion leaders to advance the knowledge of psoriasis and its associated
comorbidities, thereby enhancing the care of patients worldwide.

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